Coffee Table Books

I'm in search of a new side table for my living room and I love this idea~ a substantial pile of coffee table books stacked to make a table! This obviously requires quite a few large, heavy books (which clearly won't get read while doing table duty) but an idea like this is as easy to put together as it looks chic.

ps- I just bought the most amazing coffee table book~ Taschen's Paris. It is a huge collection of the best restaurants, hotels and shops in the city of lights. Love!

Genius Display Idea

Vintage teacups and saucers make for the prettiest jewelry display I've ever seen! Ask your mother or grandmother for any china pieces they aren't using or scour second hand stores for mismatched teacups. Layer your earrings, necklaces, bracelets and rings in pretty combinations and in contrasting colours. Seeing what you have on display will allow you to perfectly accessorize everyday and such a lovely collection will make any dresser top incredibly pretty.

(Photo via Martha Stewart)

Genius Display Idea

To fill up a small, bare wall in her kitchen my friend Sarah installed floating shelves and filled them with her favourite cookbooks! How adorable is this idea? So many cookbooks have such pretty covers they are perfect to showcase and this display means the ones you need most are always close at hand. Sarah bought her shelves at Ikea but you can also find similar ones at Pottery Barn. I have a big bare wall in my kitchen and I'm considering this as a way to fill it! Now, if only a cute boy would come over and install everything for me.... then we're talking! 

(That's the adorable David Payne in the bottom right of the top photo. Hi, David!!!)